The present invention relates generally to footwear, and particularly, footwear having enhanced support features integrally designed into their construction. More specifically, the present invention contemplates use of an integrated tongue-strap structure adapted to apply even pressure around the foot and/or ankle of the wearer to provide enhanced fit and support.
Footwear designers have aspired to produce footwear having superior fit and support. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in the athletic footwear industry as evidenced by various earlier footwear embodiments for basketball, jogging, football, etc., and even in ice-skating. In addition, there has been increased attention to bicycling footwear, particularly to the quality of construction of the upper of bicycle footwear which is subjected to enormous force during the upward pulling stroke of the bicycle rider. Accordingly, the present invention also contemplates provision of an article of footwear having an upper which has superior durability and strength.
An example of athletic footwear having improved support features is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,511 to Gamm. Gamm discloses a running shoe having an instep strap which extends through the midsole of a running shoe inside the body of the upper. Opposite ends of the strap have hook and loop fasteners, and the strap is intended to wrap directly around the foot of the wearer. However, the instep support strap according to Gamm suffers from numerous drawbacks. For example, the fit of the upper of the shoe is not largely enhanced by the strap, since it extends inside and directly surrounds the foot. In addition, the strap is likely to affect circulation through the foot, as pressure is not evenly distributed throughout a top or dorsal area of the foot. In addition, the interior strap of Gamm requires burdensome manipulation by the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,613 to Loveder discloses a rear entry athletic shoe using a ski-binding type mechanism which utilizes an adjustable strap that wraps around an aft portion of the shoe. This design provides only marginal increased support through the upper.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,772 to Francis et al. discloses an article of athletic footwear having increased support, by providing an integral external shell that wraps around a sock but is not connected thereto. The external shell of this invention is tightened around the sock and wearer's foot by means of a conventional lace-type closure system connecting opposing edges of the shell, over a tongue portion of the sock. However, a need still exists for additional support along the dorsal portion of the foot and superior fit around the ankle and heel portions of the upper.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,494,964 to Rome, U.S. Pat. No 4,476,639 to Zaccaria and U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,271 to Geller disclose other shoe designs incorporating straps but continue to fail to meet the rigorous demands of support, fit and durability demanded by the marketplace. Of these patents, those to Rome and Geller utilize a strap secured to the tongue of a shoe. However, the straps are formed of essentially two segments which are separable from each other to allow the tongue to release and permit the wearer in donning or removing the shoe. The separable two-piece straps are particularly disadvantageous since they do not provide adequate support and require burdensome manipulation. In addition, the straps merely extend around an outer surface of the upper, perhaps through a pull tab strictly provided on an aft portion of the shoe upper as taught by Rome. Such structures do not provide adequate support.